Hello-
I'm working on our design for the nrf9160 and I've been trying to wrap my head around the FCC certification. I know that the nrf9160 is an FCC certified module and I know that the host device also has to carry an FCC certification and it may be possible to reuse Nordic's and skip the headache of lab testing and cost. What I'm confused about is what exactly do we need to do to reuse the certification.
1. The Hardware Integration Guide 6.4 mentions the Ethertronics P822601 antenna
* Is it mandatory to use this exact antenna to reuse the FCC certification?
* If not, what are the specific technical or regulatory requirements for using an alternate antenna (e.g., gain, type, placement, matching)?
2. Beyond following the recommended stackup and schematics, are there physical layout constraints (antenna clearance, shielding, ground plane requirements) that we must adhere to in order to reuse the FCC certification?
* Are there any mandatory placement/layout rules documented somewhere?
3. Does adding a gnss antenna affect the certification?
4. Is there some sort of formal documentation/checklist or test reports we need to complete to confirm we're compliant?
5. If we have followed all the design requirements, can we use the nrf9160's certification under the existing FCC ID
I'm looking for a design solution that minimizes the regulatory testing we have to do.
Your help is greatly appreciated.